Into a Dream
by norree
Summary: After the main storyline finishes, Rolan can't help but feel something is still missing in the lonely land of Spelvia. BL. RolanxBrandt. May get mature in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter o1_

All was silent. Spelvia sat quietly in its usual serenity, with only the trickling of a waterfall and the soft swaying of flowers to give it sound. Rolan sat alone in these flowers, smiling down at their purple petals fondly. He felt comfortable being surrounded in their delicate embrace, knowing that they were only flowers and would never harm him.

Ever since his new friends had helped him, and Spelvia had been returned to a peaceful state, he had been trying to trust people again. After getting to know people like Brandt and Aire, it was hard _not to-they were so outgoing and friendly that he couldn't help but look up to them. They along with their friends had made him realize that it's not _peoplethat he couldn't trust, it was himself.__

For it was true-Rolan didn't trust himself anymore. He found his judgment generally skewed or lacking in justification. After being on his own for so long he had grown used to his opinions being unchallenged, his feelings going unnoticed. He had been so alone in this world, so consumed by the twisted sanctuary that it provided.

Until Brandt, that is.

Brandt's kindness and compassion had pulled Rolan out of the darkness and into a new world, a bright world, full of reassurance and warmth. All of a sudden things weren't just about _himanymore, but about the well-being of his friends. He cared for others now more than he cared about himself, and while this new feeling frightened him, it was far better than how he had felt in the past._

...But that was not the only new feeling as of late, for Rolan had been feeling..._othernew feelings, feelings that he had never felt before. He found that he couldn't help but feel nervous when he spoke to Brandt, couldn't help but feel his face flush when he tried to speak with him...and it was only getting more difficult to ignore the fluttering feeling in his stomach when he saw him.._

Rolan could feel himself blushing just thinking about it. But he didn't know what any of this meant-he had never felt this way about anyone before, and to suddenly have such a strong reaction to someone was overwhelming, to say the least.

He stood up, brushed off his pants, and straightened up to look out into the land before him. Everything was so beautiful here, but it's beauty was not what it used to be-not that anything had _physicallychanged for the worse, in fact it might be more beautiful now than it ever had been before, but it was missing something. Rolan couldn't put his finger on it.._

The gentle breeze brushed against his cheek, easing his frown and calming his worried thoughts. With no answers to his many questions, he turned back towards the castle with a feeling of emptiness that he couldn't shake...

..-..

So, what did you guys think? : ) It's very rare for me to write fanfiction, and I don't even write much in general, but I hope you like it! Future chapters won't be so short, this was really just an introduction. : )


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry for the delay in posting this!

Here is some art I made for chapter one: .com/gallery/31330080#/d426oq5

_Chapter 02_

_'Bird in a Cage''_

_{a few weeks later}_

Rolan stood nervously inside the castle, facing the front door. His hands were shaky and he couldn't help but glance nervously at the clock every few moments. The anticipation was killing him.

He knew that the heroes were going to visit him today, for last time they had spoken Yunita planned a date to visit. Although it was only Yunita who had spoken of the visit, he assumed that the rest of the group was going as well. At least, that's what he told himself.

The past few weeks had only gotten progressively worse. The lavender fields no longer enchanted him, the waterfall no longer soothed him, and the breeze felt cold and lonely rather than refreshing. He was inconsolable as ever, and the only thing this place did to him was make him antsy. It was always _too_ quiet now, and with each passing day the safety that it offered felt more like a cage than a shelter.

What was most frustrating about the whole situation was that he _didn't know_ what he was missing. He had friends, solitude, and his old self back-yet nothing could fill the void that was growing in his heart. Each morning he woke up expecting things to be as they once were, for this place he called his home to be as fulfilling as it had once been. But at the end of each day he had to face the realization that it wasn't-nothing had changed, nothing had magically returned to it's old self, and he was still alone.

A sudden knock on the door shook him out of his thoughts. Despite being right in front of the door, he hesitated to open it. _What if __**he**__ was with them..._

He could hear the sounds of voices, although they were muffled through the door, and it sounded like a girl. It was a light voice, most likely Aire. _If the princess is here, then I am __**sure**__ that the rest of the group is with her...but I suppose it could be just Yunita..._

With one final swallow Rolan reached for the doorknob and pulled it open.

But it was not who he had expected.

It was Rekoteh.  
>But oddly enough she wasn't alone, for there was someone standing behind her...it looked like...<p>

Rolan felt his face grow a deep shade of red when he realized who it was.

"Hello, brother!" Rekoteh smiled and pulled Rolan into a warm embrace. Rolan slowly put his arms around his sister in return, but he gaze was fixated on the boy standing behind her.

"Ha, hey Rolan!" Brandt waved briefly at him, but his greeting was cut off by Rekoteh's conversation.

"How have you been, brother? I have missed you, I wish you would come back to Invidia to live with me.." She pulled away from the hug so she could make eye contact with him. Rekoteh was a very passionate girl, and her eyes became glossy just by mentioning their separation.

"I-" Rolan began, but was cut off by Brandt.

"Oh Reko, just let him be-we just got here! Save the tears for later." Brandt walked up to stand next to Rekoteh, and smiled at Rolan.

"Besides, we should enjoy our time here-this place is awesome!"

Rekoteh sighed. "Yes, I suppose we should..."

Brandt seemed to remember something, for his eyes lit up and then he grinned.  
>He moved to Rolan's side and nudged him.<br>"Still got those monkey butlers?"

Rolan wasn't listening. _He's standing so close to me..._

"Uh, Rolan? You there?" Brandt looked impatient with his spacey friend.

"O-Oh, I'm sorry, what did you ask?" Rolan stammered.

Rekoteh sighed. "It was nothing brother, just ignore Brandt. He's always asking such silly questions..." By the end of her sentence she had begun walking into the building. Brandt followed after her, and they both stood in the first room.

Rolan quietly followed after and closed the door behind them.

"I-I have prepared rooms for you both, as I am sure you've had a long journey..." Rolan had his hands clasped in one another in front of his body, and nervously waited for their response. He had never really been a people person, but he was never _this_ nervous...

"Sure, a nap sounds lovely, brother." Rekoteh smiled.

"Great, don't mind if I do! Where's the nearest bed?" Brandt exclaimed, and started walking around.

"W-well, that robot will show you to your rooms. It will also fetch you when it is time for dinner, so please, get some rest..." He hand gestured towards a red, monkey looking object.

Brandt blinked. "Well, ok!" And with that the robot led the two travelers to their separate rooms.

**::...:: ::...:: ::...::**

Rolan sat at the head of a long white dining table, patiently waiting for his friends to show.  
>After a few more minutes of sitting alone, a familiar robot entered the room, Rekoteh following closely behind.<p>

Rolan and his sister exchanged smiles as she sat down to his left, but his happiness faded when he realized that she was alone.

"Do you know where Brandt went, sister?" he asked quietly.

Rekoteh shook her head. "No, I'm afraid not-I've been in my room this whole time." She paused a moment. "The room is very nice, by the way. Thank you for being so hospitable."

Rolan was too worried about Brandt to fully appreciate the compliment. He turned his face to look at the same robot, which was still stationed by the room's entrance.

"Why did you not fetch Brandt?" He asked it.

"THE BOY WAS NOT IN HIS ROOM MASTER." It's voice was very eerie and monotone, which gave everything it said a negative connotation.

"What?" Rolan gasped. "Do you know where he went?"

The robot took a moment to respond.  
>"YES MASTER. THE BOY LEFT THE CASTLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON."<p>

"B-but he doesn't know Spelvia very well, he could get lost!"

The robot offered no words of reassurance.

Rolan stood up.

"I have to find him. Rekoteh, please stay here."

Rekoteh didn't know what to say, so she just nodded-but the concerned look on her face said enough.

Rolan rushed outside, but the moment he got out the front doors he stopped.

It was raining.

But this was very curious, for Rolan couldn't remember the last time it had rained. It was often cloudy in Spelvia, but the weather rarely got any worse than that...

With a brave exhale, Rolan dispelled those disconcerting thoughts and ran into the rain.


	3. Chapter 3

"The Rain"

Raindrops stung Rolan's face as he ran from the castle and into the storm, frantically looking for his missing friend. He couldn't help but race to conclusions, and images of an injured Brandt flooded his mind. He imagined what it would be like if they never found him. Not only would his friends never forgive him, but _he_ would never be able to forgive himself either.

The storm was strong enough to leave a thick layer of fog in every direction, which made it extremely difficult to see anything that he wasn't already standing on. Eventually he heard the familiar click of his shoes on a golden bridge, and while it was comforting to know that he wasn't going in circles, he was too worked up to be truly reassured.

Rolan ran off the bridge and past the stone centerpiece of the land, and continued to move forward. It wasn't long before he saw the back of someone who was sitting at the edge of the cliff, feet dangling over the side. Rolan let of a sigh of relief and slowly walked up to the boy's right.

Brandt's head was down, his hair serving as a curtain to shield his face from Rolan. A part of Rolan liked seeing him there—liked how the hero's gloved hands sunk into the purple flowers, the flowers that Rolan himself knew so well. He was not used to seeing someone else find solace in this place, yet alone someone he cared about.

After a moment of only the rain's voice, Rolan sat down next to his uncharacteristically quiet friend. Despite his relief in finding where Brandt was, it was replaced with a new worry—_why_ was Brandt here? He still could not see Brandt's expression, and he realized that meant he would have to ask him.

There was another moment of unbearable silence, only to be broken by Rolan's wavering voice.

"Brandt?" He looked sideways at his silent friend, who said nothing in return.

Rolan tried again. "What are you doing here?"

Rolan's eyes widened as he heard a sniffle in return, and it dawned on him that Brandt was crying. Not audibly, but the sniffle said enough.

Rolan was at a loss on what to do. His people skills were tremendously lacking, and the more he looked at Brandt the harder it got to speak. There was a fluttering sensation in his stomach, and he tried to suppress it with a swallow.

"B-Brandt, if it was something I said, then I—"

"You didn't do anything." Brandt's voice was only a mumble, and his head still hung.

Rolan blinked.

"We shouldn't have come here."

Brandt's words felt like a punch in the stomach, and Rolan had no idea what to say. He just watched helplessly as Brandt let out another sniffle. He had never seen Brandt like this—usually his friend was outgoing and fun, the optimistic one of the group. And here was, crying silently in the rain.

A quiet thought whispered inside of Rolan, and his face turned a deep shade of red. He tried to ignore this new idea, but it only grew stronger and louder inside of him, stretching into such a powerful force that without thinking he leaned over and kissed Brandt on the cheek.

The kiss was light and soft, but the hero's cheek on Rolan's lips sent a burst of warmth throughout Rolan's heart, and he couldn't help but pull away very slowly.

While it was still raining, the storm had cooled off into a light sprinkle, and the fog rolled softly across their laps and down their legs.

Brandt lifted his head up towards the sky, and the tears on his face were replaced with streaks of rain running coolly down his newly pink cheeks.

Rolan's gaze lingered on Brandt, but then turned up to look at the same sky. The clouds were becoming a thin mask for the sun, and while some were still dark they all mingled with the newly golden ones.

They watched clouds part quietly together, until Brandt turned his head to smile at him. Rolan thought that the smile was almost unbearably beautiful, and there were no words he could find in return.

Brandt affectionately ruffled Rolan's hair, and smiled at him with his eyes closed. Rolan seemed stunned for a moment but then smiled softly back, and realized that he didn't need to say anything.

"Let's go eat!" Brandt abruptly stood up and held out his hand, suddenly back to his old self. While Rolan thought the whole thing was a little confusing, he happily placed his own hand in Brandt's, and let the young hero help him up.

The walk back to the castle was a quiet and calm one, and Rolan realized that he had never before felt as content as this.


End file.
